An Investigation of Early Thermal Cracking in Concrete and the Recommendations in BS 8007

All concrete structures expand and then contract because of the evolution of the heat of hydration and consequent rise and fall in temperature. If the contraction from the peak temperature is restrained, tensile stresses are induced which can cause cracking. The present investigation aims to reproduce site conditions for early thermal cracking within the laboratory in order to provide accurate data that can assist in the control of such cracking in practice. The validity of the theoretical analyses and the theory as assumed in BS 8007 are also checked againsthe experimental results.
Professor B.P. Hughes and A.T. Mahmood